Hop education

[AndyG4]

Undoubtedly, the hardest thing to educate myself on over the last few days has been the tricks and additives that people use in their brews.

 

Of course, I could just make standard brews then start experimenting with hops - but why would I do that when all the most succesful brewers are all using these additives? As I've said in another thread, I don't mind the odd dud batch in the pursuit of a great beer, and just using a standard Coopers can with a brew enhancer doesn't appear to give me the best chance to make that great brew.

 

I've done a search of this forum and haven't found a definitive instructional on hops, so I think it might be worth creating one.

 

So:

 

1) what are the hops that you use?

2) what are the properties of these hops? (bitterness, aroma etc)

3) what type of beer would you use it in?

4) how do you use it? when do you add it?

 

(this is my biggest problem - with tea-bags vs pellets, adding pre-fermentation or post-fermentation... I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly how I'm supposed to use them)

 

Personally, I've taken a brew shop recommendation on adding Super Alpha to a lager. It was a tea bag that sat in boiling water for about 15 minutes before the whole lot was added pre-yeast.

 

I've also invested in some Cascade pellets to put in a Cerveza, which I'm told will add some aroma and some "interest", without making it too bitter. My issue here is that I know it suggests boiling the pellets for up to an hour - but I don't know whether to add it pre- or post-fermentation.

 

I hope we can create a good resource for hop education here.

[Guest]

There are various charts amd links about that i use, will chase those up for you, im a big fan of hop additions, be it in a boil or dry..

 

Its a great way to experiment with kits that arent too strong in flavour and aroma,

 

Have you had a look in,the recipe section? There are.loads of topics amd info out there already mate, though i will agree the search function here needs a little tweak.

[*****]

My issue here is that I know it suggests boiling the pellets for up to an hour - but I don't know whether to add it pre- or post-fermentation.

 

Hey Andy have a look at this link, reading your post I don't think you're after a 60 minute hop boil.

You can do your hop additions pre or post and you can do both. My first hopped brew was the Heritage Lager kit. I boiled 25g of Nelson Savin hops for 10 minutes using a hop bag. I added this mixture to the Lager kit and 1.5kg of Light Malt Extract. After the Krausen died down I placed 25g of Cascade hops into a hop bag and placed them in the fermentor on top of the brew. I have sampled this brew several times and it is very nice, not as hoppy as a Fat Yak but not bad for a first (hop) attempt. It is just over 2 months old and I have 24 long necks that I am looking forward to in January. I made a few errors including not boiling in a combination of water and DME at an SG of 1.040, I think this is why it doesn't have the impact of a Yak. I have doen other hop boils since then, in a wort of 1.040 SG and they do have more impact. I also strain the Hop wort into the fermentor now rather than using a bag.

Cheers

[Guest]

here is the link to the web pages I use.

 

HOP UNION

 

HOPCO

 

for all others and explinations and uses / substitutions from fellow brewers I use

 

Aussie Home Brewer

 

there is a google search function in the top right hand corner of that page, use this search function and you will have most of your questions answered.

 

Yob

[AndyG4]

thanks heaps for the links guys, a couple of those are phenomenal!

 

you've almost got me excited to go back to work on tuesday so i can print this stuff off :P

[AndrewDK]

I'll add my thanks as this is a topic I've been researching and these links are very useful.